


BATIM Oneshots

by GreatComet1812



Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Genre: Angst, BATDR, BATDS, BATIM, Bendy and the dark revival - Freeform, DCTL, Dreams Come To Life, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Multi, Shipping, bendy and the ink machine - Freeform, boris and the dark survival - Freeform, oneshots, ships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:08:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24081091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreatComet1812/pseuds/GreatComet1812
Summary: Request your favorite pairing in the comments and I’ll write a oneshot!
Relationships: Buddy Lewek/Dot, Grant Cohen/Shawn Flynn, Jack Fain/Sammy Lawrence, Lacie Benton/Bertrum Piedmont, Susie Campbell/Johnny, Susie Campbell/Sammy Lawrence, Thomas Connor/Allison Pendle
Comments: 63
Kudos: 23





	1. Rules

I put the characters from BATIM into 3 categories. There's the ink creatures (Sammy, Jack, any other ink monster that isn't a canon character), Toons (Any forms of Bendy, Alice, Boris, Butcher Gang, and so on), and of course humans (Henry, Wally, any of the characters before they get turned into monsters basically). Since I put them in these categories, I have issues with writing certain ships because they just don't feel right to me. So...

Rule 1 - I will not write crossspecies shipping. No Ink Sammy x Bendy, Henry x Boris, whatever other things you can come up with. The only crossspecies shipping I will allow is if the two characters dated before one was turned and then the other finds them in their new form. Example: Sammy x Henry where they dated pregame then Henry finds him when he comes back.

Rule 2 - I refuse to write any sort of smut or anything involving sexual acts. However, if necessary, I am willing to imply that two characters were involved in sexual actions in the past, or that they're going to be doing them in the future. 

Rule 3 - Despite not liking sexual stuff, I am 100% willing to write most other triggering topics. Gore, Abuse, Crippling mental disorders, anything. I try to do as much research as possible before writing darker stories like this so I can portray characters accurately. If I mess something up or get something wrong about any of these sensitive topics, PLEASE let me know in the comments of that story. If I wrote something wrong, I will fix it accordingly.

Rule 4 - No crossovers. Sorry, I just don't like them. However, if you're wanting the characters in an AU based on another fandom I'm willing to do it. It'll just be me taking the BATIM characters and putting them in whatever place I believe would fit in that alternative world. Example: Wally playing as a night guard in "Bendy's," a restaurant featuring the toons as animatronics. 

Rule 5 - Not everything has to be a ship. I'm okay with writing platonic relationships or even if you want to request that I write about two characters being related I'd be willing to do it. Example: Bromance story about Shawn and Wally, or a story about Henry being Buddy's father. 

Rule 6 - I'm completely okay with any sort of attraction. Straight, bi, poly, whatever you want I'll write it out. I'm also willing to write a character as non-binary or trans if you'd like me to.

Rule 7 - Feel free to request multiple relationships in the same story.

Rule 8 - No Character x Reader, no Character x OC unless you're wanting something from my Henry Stein Studios series because I don't consider the extra characters like Prophet to be OCs (Except Henry's daughter Olivia obviously)

Alright, leave your requests in the comments! Trigger Warnings will be in the notes at the beginning of each chapter when necessary.


	2. Windows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bertrum has been left severely traumatized from the events that took place in the studio. Lacie allows him to live with her as she tries to help him recover.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning:  
> Trauma  
> PTSD  
> Claustrophobia  
> Gruesome death

One week after they were set free.

Everyone has finally finished discussing everything with the police. Joey has been dragged off to a mental asylum and Henry has tried to help get everyone recovered from their losses. Since they were trapped for so long, many lost their homes, loved ones had passed away, kids grown up never knowing one of their parents, wives and husbands left widowed finding new lovers and leaving the helpless workers stuck in time. 

Helpless workers like Bertrum Piedmont, a man who used to have such high ego, be so high up in the world of entertainment, now left shattered in pieces, broken by his own trauma. His wife moved on long ago, found a new husband and moved back to England with him and their children. Bertrum’s children. He had no house, no family, no fame or fortune. All was lost with his psyche. He was afraid of the dark, afraid of closed spaces, afraid of the brilliant rides he once used to create. He felt hopeless, forever lost. 

Of course, he wasn’t the only helpless one. His assistant, Lacie Benton, felt lost to time aswell. Her parents passed away while she was trapped, she’d never found a husband before the incident, her two closest friends, Shawn and Grant, had been left to suffer with her and she felt guilty that she hadn’t been able to save them. She was afraid of silence, constantly muttering to herself if nobody else would talk to her. Her mouth had been sewn shut when she became Striker. She’d been stuck silent for so long she couldn’t handle the silence anymore. 

So, naturally, when she learned her home was still standing, she was relieved. Finally something was going right at least. That’s when she noticed her old boss, Bertrum. He was homeless, so she took him in. She’d grown a crush on him before the incident, but had always felt guilty for it since she knew he was a married man. However, this didn’t mean she’d ever leave him out in the cold. He accepted her generosity, and she decided that she would try her hardest to help him get back to how he used to be. 

One month after they were set free.

The window. Every day, from 5:00 when he got home to 9:00 when he would shower and go to bed, Bertrum would sit in an armchair and just stare out the window. He never spoke a word, he’d eat the dinner Lacie made but would never finish, and never once looked Lacie in the eye. That is, until one night. 

It was 10:00, Lacie was laying in her bed trying to sleep, knowing Bertrum should’ve already gone to sleep himself. That’s when she received a knock on her door. She groggily sat up, her ginger curls flying all around her head, and answered the door. Sure enough, there stood Bertrum. He was trembling, tears filling his eyes. He cleared his throat with a cough, speaking in a hoarse, quiet tone. He hadn’t spoken until now. Hadn’t even spoken a word when they were first freed. His voice sounded so broken, so terrified, Lacie wondered if he was even still Bertrum Piedmont anymore.

“M... M-Ms. Benton...” He stated quietly, clearly trying to hold back his tears.

Lacie was fully awake by now. She looks into his piercing hazel eyes, the one feature that seemed like it’d never disappear from him. She takes in a breath.

“Mr. Piedmont?” She replies softly to him.

He leans down to her, being much taller then her, wrapping his arms around her. She slowly hugs him back. She feels his whole body trembling as he quietly sobs into her shoulder. She feels tears well up in her own eyes. He clings to her like a lifeline, as if she’d fade into dust if he let go. 

“Y-You... c-can call me Bertrum...” he coughs a little, “I... I-I’m sorry that... I-I don’t speak... I-I’m sure that you hate the quiet... r-right? Y-You mutter to yourself... y-you whisper, grumble, sing, I hear all of it... y-you’re singing voice is so pretty...” he slowly cracks a smile. “I-I’m sorry that I’ve been silent... I-I’ll try not to be as quiet anymore.”

Lacie pauses for a long time, tears trickling down her own face. She holds him a little tighter, struggling since he’s so much taller than her. 

“C-Call me Lacie...” she slowly smiles through her tears. 

The two stay like that for a long time, just letting their emotions flow out onto each other in the form of tears. Once they’d calmed, Lacie pulls back a little and looks at him. 

“W-Why were you crying, Bertrum?”

He sniffles, looking at her. “N-Nightmares... th-the dark...” he looks away, clearly embarrassed at himself.

She hesitantly gives him a light kiss on the forehead, stroking a hand through his hair. “W-We can work on that together, okay? Y-You aren’t alone... n-not anymore...”

Bertrum nods, smiling. “Th-Thank you... th-that’s all I could ever want, Lacie...”

One year after they were set free. 

Piedmont & Benton Entertainment. The newest entertainment business on the block, specializing in amusement parks and animatronics, now officially opened. Bertrum looks up at the new building, his eyes practically sparkling in the sunshine. Lacie gives his hand a light squeeze.

“Well, Bertie, are we gonna just stand here and stare or are we going to go in?” She gives a playful smirk.

Bertrum glances to her, blushing lightly. “Don’t call me Bertie...”

She laughs. “Whatever you say, Bertie...” 

They make their way inside, hand in hand, ready to start their new life. A life where neither of them would be alone. Neither of them would be left in the dark or the silence. Neither of them would leave the other to sit alone by the window. They both had found their home, their family, their life in each other, and they couldn’t be happier for it.


	3. Windows Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Piedmont & Benton Entertainment has been a successful business for two years now. Bertrum and Lacie have stayed together for that whole time, and now Lacie is ready to make their time together even more special. However, a creepy man is hired on their team, and he quickly throws a wrench in Lacie’s plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings:  
> Mentioned trauma  
> Suggested attempt of r*pe  
> Injuries

It’s been 2 years since the founding of Piedmont & Benton Entertainment, and Bertrum and Lacie could not have been happier. They both got to work in the field they loved most, being their own bosses and, best of all, getting to be together.

Lacie had been especially happy recently with their relationship. So happy, in fact, that she felt that the time had finally come to take their romance a step further. She’d prepared everything. She spent a whole month secretly saving up her paychecks in order to be able to buy two beautiful rings, silver matching bands with sparkly blue sapphires on the top of them. Now, she finally had enough to buy them, and had went to the store immediately during her break. On the drive back she practiced her speech a hundred times over, wanting everything to be perfect.

She walked into the building and up to her lover’s office, little box in hand, only to open the door and see him sitting there with another guy. This other man was tall, somehow taller than Bertrum despite Bertrum already standing at a towering 6’4”. He was well built and muscular, dressed cleanly in a nice suit. Bertrum gave a warm smile up at her when she walked in, while she stood in the doorway with growing confusion.

“Ah, welcome back Lacie! I’d like you to meet Mason, he applied for the secretary position since our secretary quit last week...”

The man, Mason, turns his head back and looks Lacie up and down, clearly not caring she was there. He looks back to Bertrum. “Mr. Piedmont, I’m surprised. For such a well put together business man I wouldn’t think you’d have a woman, much less your woman, working for you...” Lacie clenched her fists, her ginger hair looking like it was going to burst into flame.

Bertrum just laughs it off. “Really? Why wouldn’t I want her as my partner. She doesn’t work for me, or for anyone else but herself. We’re mutual partners and I love her.” Bertrum shoots her a kind wink, which Lacie couldn’t help but smile at.

Mason just shrugged. 

Lacie goes over to Bertrum, settling into a chair hiding behind Bertrum’s desk and lovingly leaning on his shoulder. She quietly taps the box in her pocket.

“So, Mason, whats got you so interested in becoming a secretary?”

Mason shrugs. “I need work and I love the entertainment industry. You two have a position open that could help me get to where I want to be...”

Bertrum nods in understanding. “Wow, that’s great! We built this business together for similar reasons...” he glances to Lacie. “I think we should hire him...”

Lacie hesitates, looking up at Bertrum, then gives her own little smile. She sighs. “A-Alright...” she looks back to Mason. “You’ve got the job...”

Mason smiles. “Great! Thank you...”

Lacie sighs, glancing away with a slightly sad expression, squeezing Bertrum’s hand under the desk. 

‘Guess I’ll have to wait...’ she thinks.

A couple of weeks pass, and Lacie still hasn’t proposed, unable to find the perfect moment with Mason around. It was like the guy was pretty much everywhere BUT his desk, always close to Bertrum. Her lover had even begun inviting Mason over to their house to watch football or baseball or to just talk with him. Lacie tried to join in, knowing more about sports than her still-not-yet-fiancé, yet she still felt as if she was being pushed away. Not by Bertrum, of course, but by some unknown force.

Eventually, Bertrum begins to not come home until late. Every day he leaves work with his new friend Mason, leaving Lacie to go home alone. Luckily, she had people to keep her company. Anytime Bertrum would leave she’d call Shawn and Grant to come over and hang out with her. She felt awful intruding on Shawn and Grant’s time together, but she was still afraid of the silence.

She could feel herself being pulled back to those memories from years ago. Memories where Bertrum didn’t speak a word, just staring out the window. 

That was, until one faithful night. Lacie was sitting with Shawn and Grant, the three drinking tea why Lacie discussed how she felt. She’d kept the little box with the rings hidden away, keeping them on her whenever she wasn’t asleep or in the shower.

Shawn took a sip from his cup. “Why haven’t you discussed this with him?”

Lacie sighs. “Th-That secretary is always there. I can’t talk about it in front of him, I need Bertrum to be alone... but...”

Grant gives a sad look. “I-I’m sure he’ll come around... right? H-He would never just throw away what you two have...”

Lacie whimpers, gripping her cup a little tighter. “I-I really hope he does...” She feels for the box in her pocket, pulling it out and looking at the contents.

That’s when, suddenly, something burst through the front door, soaking wet from the rain. The large man collapsed to the floor in a heap, shivering from the cold. Lacie gasped, she screamed realizing who it was, running over to her terrified boyfriend and pulling him up to her, not caring that the rain water quickly soaked into her clothes.

Bertrum tensed from the sudden warmth, then looked up at her. “L... L-Lacie...” he gives a relieved smile, sitting up and wrapping his arms around her, clinging to her. Lacie carefully stands up, supporting him, closing the front door then taking him upstairs to get into clean clothes. 

They’re back downstairs within a couple minutes, Shawn and Grant waiting for them with some warm blankets and a first aid kit. Lacie helps Bertrum to sit down, her friends only now noticing his painful looking limping. The three work together to get him wrapped in blankets and patch up the multiple injuries covering his body, Grant even wrapping up his swollen ankle. Tears fill Lacie’s eyes as she looks at him. Shawn and Grant go into the kitchen to refill the tea and make Bertrum some aswell, wanting to leave the couple alone.

“B-Bertie... w-what happened?!”

Bertrum looks away, carefully moving so his head is laying in her lap. “W-We need to fire the new secretary... p-please...” 

Lacie’s eyes widen as she gently runs her fingers through his hair. “W-What did he do to you?”

Tears well up in Bertrum’s own eyes. “Th-This whole time, I thought he was just a friendly guy... I-I thought he and I could be friends, I’ve always struggled with keeping friends so...” he looks down. “B-But today... h-he was trying to force me into something more...” a tear slowly trails down his face. “S-Something I never wanted to do...” 

Lacie gasps, tears slowly falling down her own face. “H-He didn’t... h-he couldn’t had possibly...”

Bertrum sniffles. “H-He tried... but I fought him off... th-that’s why I’m so banged up...” he takes one of her hands, squeezing it tightly. “Lacie, I am so, so sorry... I-I only realized on my way home how much it must seem like I’ve been avoiding you... I promise it’s not true, dear. You’re my entire life, I could never have been where I am now without you...” 

Lacie chokes back a sob. “O-Oh, Bertie...” she leans down, hugging him close.

The two stay like that for awhile, holding each other and softly crying. They were both sat up now, leaning on eachother. Bertrum had welcomed her into his soft pile of blankets. 

“I-I’m going to kick that guys ass next time I see him...” Lacie sniffles, squeezing Bertrum’s hand tightly.

Bertrum laughs. “I’m sure you will... god, I love your spunkiness, dear...” he kisses her forehead, making her smile. “We’ll fire him tomorrow...”

Shawn and Grant come back from the kitchen, Shawn carrying a tray of warm cups of tea. They join the other two on the couch, cuddling with eachother on the opposite side from them. The four stayed like that for the rest of the night, cuddling with their respective partners and laughing together.

The next morning, the first thing Lacie did when they got into their building was track down the soon-to-be-ex-secretary and punch him square in the nose as hard as she could, much to Bertrum’s delight. Second, the two immediately fired him, kicking him out of the building. Third, they continued a successful work day and started to head home. However, Lacie was driving, and Bertrum soon realized she was going the wrong way.

“Lacie, darling, where are we going?”

Lacie smirked playfully. “You’ll see~” 

She parks the car next to a beautiful park. She guides Bertrum to the top of a lovely hill filled with flowers, stars beginning to light up the sky by this point. She leads him to the tree at the top, then turns to him, taking the box from her pocket.

“Bertie... you are my life, too. I want to be able to live, breath, and be happy with you as long as I possibly can...” she reveals the box to him, slowly getting down on one knee. “Darling... please tell me that you’ll marry me...” she has a bright smile on her face.

Tears well in Bertrum’s eyes as he looks down at the matching sapphire rings. “Y-Yes! Of course, Lacie, I will!” He practically tackles her into the cool flowery grass, kissing all over her face as she giggles happily. They put the rings on their fingers, laying there together until the sun fully sets.


	4. Windows Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Piedmont & Benton Entertainment is booming more than ever. Henry invites Bertrum and Lacie to a get together at his house with all the other workers. While they’re reacquainting themselves, Bertrum overhears a discomforting conversation.

Piedmont & Benton Entertainment has grown into one of the most successful businesses in New York. It’s now been a good 5 years since the old Joey Drew Studios employees were freed and it seems everyone has gone their separate ways by now. 

Wally Franks moved to Florida and opened Franks Handyman Service, where he now works maintenance. Wally hired Norman Polk onto his team and Norman now helps big businesses such as Disney with any sort of film related issues they may have. Thomas and Allison Connor are the happily married co-owners of Gent Corporation and have even had two children, a daughter and son they named Alice and Boris. Shawn Flynn convinces his employers at Heavenly Toys, who oddly enough accepted him back after they’d been freed, to hire Grant Cohen on as their accountant. Susie Campbell got accepted into a role on Broadway. Sammy Lawrence, Jack Fain, and Johnny Brokenheart founded a music school together where all three of them now teach children how to play instruments and sing. Buddy and Dot Lewek married just a few months after they’d been freed and now Buddy works at an art museum why Dot works at a book store. 

Then there’s Henry Stein. He and his wife, Linda, have had a son together named Ben. Henry now works as a freelance artist while Linda is a stay-at-home wife.

That is, until just a couple months ago, when Bertrum and Lacie received a letter. 

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Piedmont,   
It’s been quite a long time, hasn’t it? How’ve you two been? Linda and I have been telling our little Benny about you two, aswell as our other old friends, and he’s been wanting to meet everyone. We’re planning on hosting a reunion next week at our house and are hoping the both of you can attend. I wrote our address and my number on the back. See you then, old friends, if you do decide to come.   
Your Friend,  
Henry Stein

Lacie smiles down at the letter when she gets it from the mail, going to Bertrum and handing it to him so he can read it. Bertrum adjusts his reading glasses, looking over it, and smiles.

“We should go...” Bertrum happily states, “I’ve missed those old chaps...” He laughs.

“I agree... it’s been way too long since I’ve seen the girls, and I’d love to meet everyone’s kids. Maybe we can become the cool aunt and uncle.” Lacie laughs.

Bertrum hugs her. “Or the cool mother and father... let’s hope our adoption forms are accepted...” 

Lacie nods. The two had been trying to adopt for a couple weeks now since they’d found out Bertrum is sadly incapable of having children. “Well, we can dwell on that later... we have a reunion to get ready for...” 

One week later, the Piedmonts arrived at the Stein household, being one of the first ones there. They knock on the door and are greeted by a small five year old boy. He had Linda’s sparkly blue eyes and Henry’s crazy, ink black hair. He was dressed up nicely in a black button up and white bow tie and had a mischievous looking smile on his face, giving him the image of a familiar little devil darling. 

Henry Stein himself along with Linda stood just behind him, smiles on their faces. Henry hugs each of them as the four exchange hellos. 

“I’m so glad that the both of you could make it, please, come inside...” Henry states politely leading Bertrum and Lacie into his home. 

There’s one other person there, sitting in the corner of the couch. He looks more mature than ever, a boy who’d become a proper man once he’d moved to Florida, but still clearly kept his youthful demeanor as he lounged calmly on the couch, his curly hair still just as messy as it had always been. He looks up and gives a wide smile, standing and hugging Lacie.

“Ms. Benton! So good tah see yah again!” Wally excitedly announces, his Brooklyn accent still shining through can after spending so long in the South. 

“It’s Mrs. Piedmont now, it’s great to see you again, Wally...” Lacie smiles, taking Bertrum’s hand.

Wally nods, laughing. “Ahhh, good to see you two finally tyin’ tha knot! I’ve yet tah find me someone like that, but it’ll happen some day I betcha!” Wally gives Bertrum a firm handshake. 

Another, taller, familiar Southern man pokes his head in from the kitchen. “Well, look what the cat dragged in! How’s it goin’ y’all?” Norman Polk approaches them.

The group sits together and starts catching up as everyone else arrives. Everyone seems to be in much better shape than all those years ago.

Allison and Thomas brought their son and daughter, which look like spitting replicas of the two of them. Alice and Boris run out to play with Ben in the back yard when they arrive. Thomas has a fancy new prosthetic that works just like a real arm would. Allison has retained her beautiful singing voice. 

Shawn and Grant arrive with shiny engagement rings on their fingers. Shawn seems much more kept together, dressing up a bit nicer than usual for the occasion. Grant looks healthier all together, and he’s a lot more social than he’d been. 

Sammy and Jack were officially dating now, aswell as Johnny and Susie. Sammy has been learning to better handle his anger issues thanks to Jack, and Jack has learned better social skills. Susie looked better than ever and Johnny felt more included than ever before. 

Buddy and Dot are the last to arrive, bringing Cowboy, their dog, with them. Dot had also brought along another guest, as she was 4 months pregnant. They were expecting a boy. 

Eventually everyone started spreading out to different parts of the house. Lacie went with Dot, Susie, Allison, and Linda into the dining room for a bit of girl talk, Bertrum staying with Henry, Thomas, Wally, and Sammy in the living room so they could talk about their businesses. 

“So, Lacie, Bertrum Piedmont, huh?” Susie asks her, giggling a little.

Lacie nods. “Yes, and we’re very happy together. We’ve been through a lot...”

Allison nods. “We all have. I just find it a little surprising that you ended up with him... I would’ve thought you’d choose Shawn or Grant...” she sips her cup of tea.

Lacie shrugs. “Nah, they’re just my friends. Besides, that wouldn’t have worked out anyway, they’ve always liked eachother...” she laughs, “I’m happy with my choice...”

“Just seems strange to be so willing to marry someone with such big ego...” Dot laughs jokingly. 

Lacie pauses. “Well, no, he’s not as egotistical as he used to be. He’s been humbled since the machine and is a very loving man...”

“Loving man, with a lot of him to go around...” Linda giggles aswell. 

Lacie blushes. “Well, h-he is rather large, but that’s one of the things I like about him, you know?” She seems to be growing nervous.

Susie sighs. “Alright, Lacie, real talk here. Did you settle for him once you realized that all the other guys at the studio were either gay, taken, or both?”

Lacie gasps. “No, I did not!” She clenches her fists under the table. “How could you say that about my husband! Especially when he could probably accidentally step on yours’ toe and he’d come crying to you like you’re his mother!” 

Allison holds back a laugh. Susie glares, gasping in equal offense. “Well, at least my husband actually shows his emotions, unlike a certain Mr. Connor...” she glances over to Allison snarkily.

Allison glares. “At least mine has more backbone than any of yours! Especially Buddy...” 

Dot rolls her eyes. “Oh, please! Buddy’s more confident than ever! At least he knows how to manage a proper sleep schedule, unlike a certain Mr. Stein...”

Linda gasps. “Oh, you’re in for it now!”

The group continues bickering back and forth until eventually they all just burst into a fit of laughter. 

Lacie sighs. “Oh, I’ve missed this...” the other girls nod in agreement.

Bertrum finds Lacie later on, seeming a bit quieter than before. They meet up with Henry, who pitches them a rather intriguing business plan.

“Henry Stein Studios! It’ll be all my own and since I own the rights to Bendy, I can make a reboot cartoon! All I need to be able to fully put the plan into action is investors...” He smiles. “I-I was hoping to get some assistance from Piedmont & Benton Entertainment... if you’d like to help. Gent Corporation, Heavenly Toys, and Franks Handyman Service have already agreed. Wally and Norman are even moving back here to New York for the partnership! Sammy, Jack and Johnny agreed to run the music department again, so long as they could continue their classes. Buddy and Dot will be the heads of their departments. Grant even offered to be my accountant. We’d all be together again, without a Mr. Drew in the mix to mess everything up...”

Lacie smiles happily. “We’d love to invest, Henry...”

Bertrum nods. “Couldn’t agree more...” they shake hands.

The party winds down after that and soon everyone heads home, including Bertrum and Lacie. Bertrum stays rather quiet the whole ride home. 

Within two weeks Bertrum slowly begins to seem to grow more and more exhausted. Lacie continuously asks him what’s wrong and he always gives the same answer. “Nothing, dear, I’m just fine...” 

Finally, it gets to be too much. Bertrum wakes up one morning so terribly sore he can’t even hide it. Lacie refuses to let him go to work and takes the day off herself so she can take care of him. 

They lied together in bed while Lacie calmly nursed his sore legs and arms with ice, keeping him comfortable in bed. She looks him over, sighing.

“Bertie... what happened? Please, tell me for real this time. I know it’s not nothing. What’s really been going on since that party?”

Bertrum sighs. “I... I-I wanted to try and be a better husband...” he looks away, embarrassed. “I-I heard your talk with the other girls, how they thought you’d just settled for me and that I was... large...” a light blush comes to his face. “So I wanted to try and fix that, try and be the man you really wanted. I-I’ve been sneaking out every night to work out. I-I run and lift weights and all sorts of things, going at least two hours without stopping.” He gives a tired groan. 

Lacie pauses, then slowly laughs a little. “B-Bertie... you don’t need to impress me, dear...” she cups his cheek and gives him a soft kiss. “I love you, Bertie. Just the way you are. You’re my big, soft teddy bear, and I know for a fact that I did not just settle for you, no matter what those girls say...” she takes his hand, squeezing it, and resting her chin on his chest. She gently runs her other hand through his hair. 

Bertrum relaxes, cuddling with her. “I... feel quite stupid now...”

Lacie laughs. “Just take a couple days and the soreness will go away. If you really want to lose weight I can teach you proper exercise habits... but I don’t want you to do it because you think I don’t like you. If you want to do it, then do it for yourself...”

Bertrum sighs. “I-I think I’m okay with how I am...” he kisses her cheek.

She smiles. “That’s just fine, Bertie...”

The two fall asleep in each others arms, happy as always.


	5. A Suspicious Glass Of Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This wasn’t a request, but the idea has been in my head for awhile and I wanted to write it. This will be a Shawn x Grant fic cause we need more of those. This is also listed as a separate story as a part of my Henry Stein Studios AU.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning:  
> Trauma  
> PTSD  
> Mentions of past abuse  
> Attempted kidnapping

Shawn and Grant had been dating for nearly a month, and while that may sound like a short time, the two had already learned many different things about each other in the time they’d been together. It was helpful that they had been friends for a long time before, but now they truly felt closer than they ever had been. Close enough to tell each other pretty much anything, which just helped them to feel even more intertwined.

Shawn quickly learned by their first date that Grant struggled with understanding the concept of a healthy relationship. Shawn had been the one to ask him out, specifying that he would take care of the restaurant bill so Grant could relax for the night without having to worry about numbers or calculations. Despite this, Grant still brought his wallet, a pocket calculator, and a notepad, then secretly spent the first chunk of their date calculating how much he “owed,” planning to pay the Irishman at the end of the date. Luckily, the toy maker was good at reading people, so Grant’s little plan didn’t last very long before his calculator and notepad were taken away. 

Shawn had also discovered on this same date that his smaller partner wasn’t the biggest fan of sudden, loud noises or quick motions, especially towards him. He understood why, having known even before they’d dated that Grant had been stuck in a nasty relationship with Joey for awhile after Henry left the studio. Joey’s torment seemed to effect Grant more than anything the ink machine had done to him. The accountant didn’t have many memories of his time as Fisher, the few he did were little blurs and sparks of memory. His time dating Joey, however, had stuck with him ever since it’d happened. Shawn didn’t mind speaking quieter and moving a little slower for him, so long as the man was happy and relaxed. 

Grant meanwhile had learned that Shawn was a very loyal, protective partner despite his usual joking attitude. When push came to shove, Shawn knew how to put up a fight if need be. On their second date, Grant took Shawn to the park for a picnic and birdwatching. At one point, Shawn left to use the bathroom only to come back and see Grant close to tears under the tree they’d set up at because some punk had come by and stolen his camera. This caused Shawn to somehow immediately be able to point out the guy from a little ways down the sidewalk, run up to him, and punch him square in the nose. The guy was a head taller than him but Shawn didn’t care at all. He came back to his little accountant partner, camera in hand, and made sure to keep close to him for the rest of the date. 

Grant had also discovered from their third date that Shawn wasn’t only fluent in both English and Irish, but he also knew a little bit of French. This led to Shawn being able to flirt with Grant in 3 languages, leaving him a flustered little mess afterward. 

Today was going to be a special day for the both of them. This was their official first monthiversary, and of course they planned to celebrate. Shawn had found a nice Irish bar to take Grant to, and they’d agreed to split the bill so there wouldn’t be any extra dilemma. 

The two flopped down back into their booth together tiredly after spending a solid 30 minutes on the dance floor. Shawn was laughing brightly and Grant had a deep blush on his face as he quietly giggled. Grant looks over to Shawn and quietly tells him he’s going to use the restroom then leaves. Shawn nods in understanding and stands to go get him his second glass of whiskey for the night, letting out a relaxed sigh as he watched his lover leave. 

Grant comes back a moment later, seeming quiet. He sits down, glancing around the place a little before looking to his drink. Shawn is gently sipping his new glass as his boyfriend returns, only to glance over and notice him acting... odd. 

Grant wasn’t much of a drinker, so he’d only gotten a glass of water to start off with. Now, for whatever reason, he seemed to be analyzing his glass as if it were a test tube full of chemicals in a science lab. He stirred his straw around, looked at the glass from multiple angles, even wafted the scent of the water towards him even though water shouldn’t have a smell in the first place. Shawn rose an eyebrow at his little accountant, tilting his head. 

“Grant, dear... what are yah doin’?” He asked plainly.

Grant didn’t respond for a moment, before his body seemed to tense up. He quickly pushed the glass away to the opposite end of the table, his eyes wide as he backed against the seat. Shawn gave him an even more concerned look, gently wrapping an arm around him. 

“Grant, a ghrá, what’s wrong? You can talk to me, sweetheart...”

Grant glances up at him, slowly hugging him and hiding in his chest, whispering. “I-I wanna go home...” 

“Go home? The night just started, darling, are you sure?” He glances around then looks back to him, hugging him a little tighter and whispering. “What’s going on, baby? Another panic attack?” He gently runs a hand through his hair. 

Grant shakes his head, tears filling his eyes. “S-Something’s wrong with my drink... I-it smells funny, I-I can’t help but think...”

Shawn meets his eyes, quickly growing more concerned. “Think... what?”

Grant tenses, looking around at the bar worriedly, before suddenly making eye contact with someone. He flinches and quickly looks back to Shawn, hugging him tighter, trying not to cry. “Sh-Shawn, p-please can we go home? P-Please...”

Shawn glances over towards the direction Grant had looked. He locks eyes with a tall, imposing, nasty looking man, who just gives him a sleazy smirk. The pieces seem to start clicking in Shawn’s head as he looks back down to his trembling lover. He sighs. “Here, we don’t have to go home just yet, we can leave here though...” he slides out from the booth and gently lifts Grant up into his arms, holding him closer than usual as he continues to glance at the creepy guy. Slowly the guy starts to approach them as the Irishman makes his way for the door, finally grabbing Shawn’s shoulder when he gets close enough.

“Now, listen here, little potato boy. That prize you got there isn’t yours to take~”

Grant visibly flinches, hiding his face in Shawn’s chest and trembling more, quietly whimpering. Shawn glances back at the creepy man with a glare, holding Grant closer. 

“My sweet little Grant is more than a trophy, punk. Now, I recommend you get your dirty hands off me before I retract a disease.” Shawn glares harder, gritting his teeth. 

The man just laughs, squeezing Shawn’s shoulder. “Fine, if you won’t give him to me, then I’ll just take him~!” He grabs the back of Grants shirt collar as he pushes Shawn forward, trying to yank the poor accountant from the toy maker’s grasp. 

“SHAWN!” Grant cries out as Shawn falls forward, the wind being knocked out of him. Grant struggles helplessly in the mans grasp, only being half his size as the guy is easily able to keep him elevated off the ground. 

The other patrons are quick to take notice of what’s happening, the music going quiet. The man notices that everyone’s starting to look at them, quickly slinging Grant over his shoulder and trying to make a run for it. Grant squirms in his grasp, punching and kicking as much as he possibly can, desperately crying out for help.

Shawn quickly runs over and tackles the guys legs, causing all three of them to fall into a pile. Grant is knocked from the mans hold and lands onto the floor in a heap, hitting the side of his face onto the wood and causing his nose to bleed. Shawn holds the guy down, punching him repeatedly as his face grows hot with anger. The guy starts fighting back, the two wrestling on the floor. It doesn’t last long though as two security guards quickly separate them. The manager runs over from behind the guards, looking at the three. 

“What in the world is going on over here?!” She yells angrily. 

Grant trembles, curling himself up into a ball on the floor and sobbing into his hands, breathing heavily. Shawn tries to pull away from the guards hold. “Ma’am, I promise I can explain, just please let me help him! I won’t punch the guy again, I promise!”

The woman pauses, then nods to the guard, who lets go. The toy maker quickly runs to Grants side, getting down beside him and gently lifting him into his arms, holding him tightly. Grant whimpers, gripping Shawn’s shirt and clinging to him weakly, quietly crying into his shoulder. Shawn gently rubs his back, stroking his hair again. 

“Shh... shh... it’s okay, a ghrá, it’ll be alright now, I promise. I’ve got you...” Shawn whispers to him, repeating similar phrases. 

The man looks at them angrily, then barks at the woman. “I was trying to take my drunk prize home and this crazy bastard just ran up and attacked me! He’s an absolute lunatic, I want him arrested!”

Shawn’s body tenses as he glances at the guy, glaring hard. “You absolute liar! You KNOW that’s not what happened! Grant doesn’t belong to you! He’s not an object!”

A few of the patrons quickly start joining in, all defending Shawn. The woman thinks for a moment, looking to Shawn. 

“Mr. Flynn, you can go ahead and go. I’ll put that whiskey on your tab. Call when you get home and let me know if you’d like to press charges.” She turns to the nasty man. “As for you, you’ll be having a nice little chat with law enforcement when they get here...”

Shawn smiles, slowly standing, holding Grant in his arms again. “Thank you, ma’am. I’ll be sure to do that.” With that he leaves the building and carries his boyfriend out. He calls for a taxi and the two get in. Grant doesn’t let go of the Irishman the whole way, trying to keep his sobbing quiet. 

They get to Shawn’s house and he carries his boyfriend inside. He sits down with him on the couch, holding him close. Grant finally pulls away a little, slowly looking up at Shawn and trembling. One of his cheeks is lined with a large bruise and his upper lip is covered in dried blood from his nose. He’s got a few other smaller blemishes around his face aswell, his eyes puffy and red from crying. Shawn doesn’t look much better, one of his eye swollen and purple, a bit of dried blood trickling from his mouth. He’s got a couple of bruises scattering his own face. 

Grant looks at Shawn’s face, whimpering and letting out another sob, hiding his face in his hands. “I-I’m s-so s-sorry!”

Shawn gasps, quickly taking Grants hands from his face, gently cupping his cheek. “Oh, no no no, sweetheart, you don’t need to apologize to me. You didn’t do anything wrong...”

Grant sniffles. “I-I should’ve told you the truth, I-I didn’t... th-that man, I... I-I saw him in the bathroom... h-he kept staring at me, I-I didn’t know why. I-I’d heard a lot of stuff about people getting kidnapped at bars. O-One of the articles I remembered reading said that many victims had left their drinks alone only to come back and discover they tasted funny because someone had snuck sleeping pills into it. I-I think...” Grant whimpers, “I-I was his next target...” The poor little accountant started sobbing again. “I-I should’ve just told you when you asked and we could’ve left faster. Th-Then you wouldn’t had gotten hurt... I-I’m sorry, th-this is all my fault...” 

Shawn’s eyes go wide. He slowly, gently, pulls Grant back into a hug, quietly shushing him as he stroked his hand through his hair again. “Baby... this wasn’t your fault at all... you did everything right. You let me know enough that I knew we needed to leave, and you didn’t just let him take you. I saw you fighting the guy, my strong little éan, and I’m so proud of you~” he smiles softly as his lover slowly looked up at him, sniffling. He gently wipes away his tears, giving him soft kisses on each of his little bruises, causing Grant to slowly relax and smile. 

“Y-You... you are?” Grant blushes. 

Shawn gives him a soft kiss on the lips, which Grant returns. “Of course, baby~” 

Grant smiles happily, snuggling close to Shawn. They stay like that for awhile, Grant softly kissing Shawn’s bruises like how he’d done for him. After a moment Shawn stands and leaves, coming back quickly with a first aid kit and a couple of cold, wet rags. They clean the blood off of each other’s faces, then Shawn holds the rag to his eye to soothe it, Grant doing the same with the other rag and his cheek. 

They lay down on the couch, Grant laying on Shawn’s chest as Shawn keeps his arm wrapped around him. They snuggle under a blanket and turn on a movie, the two of them slowly falling asleep in each other’s arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:  
> “A ghrá” translates to “my love” in Irish  
> “éan” translates to “bird” in Irish


	6. Resurrection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bertrum is left in a depressive and enraged state upon learning that Lacie had sacrificed herself for him after Joey tried to kill him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning:  
> Manipulation  
> Gruesome violence  
> Gore  
> Major character death  
> Nakedness (is that a trigger idk?)

It’s been a month since the incident. Joey had grown evermore power hungry, per the usual for him, and wanted to continue his demonic experiments. He’d picked his next target, the proud special projects manager Bertrum Piedmont, the one man who’s ego seemed to rival Mr. Drew’s. However, there was one key difference between these two pompous men. Bertrum actually had a heart, why Joey’s was ripped out of him long ago.

-.-

Lacie Benton, Bertrum’s assistant and his closest friend in the studio, had always been a very keen woman. She knew how to read a room and was quick to predict people’s moves. It was no surprise that when Bertrum began to grow fond of her she was quick to pick up on it, and of course accepted the offer to date him. The two seemed to complete eachother, working at twice their usual speed when they worked together. They made eachother happy, and their love was unconditional. 

However, Lacie began to notice that her quick wit was picking up something else. Mr. Joey Drew had been acting very strange. He was always talking to Bertrum, constantly trying to flatter him, but at the same time seemed to be attempting to assert his dominance. He’d never call Bertrum his real name, always going to the nickname “Bertie” as a means of being degrading. He would practically threaten the larger man with prospects of developing a new idea to terrorize him with. People had also began to start disappearing from the studio. Lacie could tell something was wrong.

So it didn’t come as the biggest shock to her when she walked in on Joey and Bertrum that day. She’d come down to her and Bertrum’s shared work space only to find the door locked. Luckily she had a key. She walked in, and despite her lack of surprised couldn’t keep the horror from her expression.

Bertrum was strapped down to the work bench by a long belt wrapped around his torso, the Bendy animatronic knocked the floor in pieces. Joey stood over him, candles lit around him as he stood in the center of some strange circle, flipping through a book with a dark cover. Lacie immediately sprang into action, tackling Joey down and slamming his head into the floor to knock him out, then quickly going to start and free her terrified lover.

However, little did she know that Joey didn’t go down so easy. He snuck a large knife from his pocket, slowly standing and lunging onto her from behind, grabbing her and throwing her away. He held the knife over Bertrum threateningly. Bertrum squinted his eyes shut. That’s when he heard the sound that he knew would never leave his tortured mind.

“NO!” He felt a soft, callous hand on his arm as his loving assistant stood in the way just as Joey brought down the knife. There was a scream, a loud scream of indescribable pain as the knife tore through poor Ms. Benton. She collapsed to the floor in a heap, blood trickling from her stomach and chest where Joey had cut down into a shaky line. 

Joey raised the knife again to go for Bertrum, but Bertrum had been freed. He tackles Joey, his face red in anger as he forces the knife from his hand and throws it to the wall. He wraps his fists around Joeys neck, starting to choke him, before finally just deciding to throw him out of the office and lock the door tightly. He held his loving woman in his arms as her body slowly went cold. 

-.-

Bertrum would never forgive Joey. He regretted letting him run away. He could’ve killed him right there, but he didn’t. Now Lacie was dead, and Bertrum would never get her scream out of his mind. He knew he had to do something to avenge her. That’s when he found the book. 

Joey had dropped it during the fight and left it behind. It was an occult book, one talking of spells and demons and... spirits. Ghosts. Along with resurrection. 

-.-

Bertrum had been studying for the whole month, keeping himself isolated to the Special Projects floor. He barred it up, making sure nobody could get in, not even Joey or the other Bendyland workers, as if they did their job anyway. He had no idea how much time had passed, but he didn’t care. He’d practically memorized every single chapter involving resurrection that was in the entire book, and now he was ready. He was ready to try and get Lacie back.

He drew a circle into the dirt floor he’d torn the boards from. He surrounded it with candles, gently placing Lacie’s urn in the center. He’d installed a furnace down there. That’s where he’d given Lacie her funeral. 

He held the book out in front of him, and began to quietly chant out the words. The candles flickered and burnt out one by one, then report themselves with a glowing white aura. Their light grew brighter and brighter until eventually it was so blinding Bertrum had to look away. The world seemed to rumble around him like an earthquake. Then, with a final bright brilliant flash, everything went dark. The candles burnt out and melted into pure wax, leaving puddles on the floor.

Hesitantly, Bertrum slowly turned around. Curly, messy red hair. Tanned skin lined with freckles. Sparkly hazel eyes. Bertrum felt tears fill his own as he looked at the woman who now lied in the circle, now just waking up. She was naked, so he was quick to remove his jacket and wrap it around her respectfully. Slowly and hesitantly, he lifted the tired woman up into his arms, tears of pure joy streaming down his face. Lacie was back, and she was alive.

“B... B-Bertie...?” She shifted in his arms, slowly looking up at him.

He smiled. “Yes... it’s me... I’m here Lacie...”

A smile slowly came to her face as she tiredly leaned into him, slowly falling asleep. Bertrum stood why still holding her, unable to take his eyes from her as he carried her back to their office and lied her down on a couch hidden away in a corner he’d put in there a couple weeks ago. He looked into her old locker, left untouched, and luckily found spare clothes. He sat them next to her while she slept and kept close to her the whole time. He promised himself that he would not let Joey get away with this, no matter what. Even if he had to kill him himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be a part 2 but at the moment it is very late so I will be adding it tomorrow


	7. Resurrection Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bertrum plots his revenge on Joey, slipping further into insanity, while Lacie doesn’t even seem to remember what happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning:   
> Brief Nudity (not explicitly described)  
> Scar

It takes Lacie two days to wake up again, or so it feels. It’s hard to really tell time down here. She slowly opens her eyes, her skin regaining its natural tanned color, her ginger hair messy and disheveled. She’s wrapped up in a large black coat, and a nice one at that, but she doesn’t have on any other clothing. She looks around and notices she’s sitting on a nice, slightly worn, leather couch in her and Bertrum’s shared office. Bertrum. Where was Bertrum? She looks around more, slowly, then notices him sitting hunched over his desk, muttering phrases to himself. She slowly, carefully lifts the coat up in front of her, neatly putting it on properly around her much smaller frame, glancing down to notice a large black scar lined down the center of her chest and stomach. She tilts her head, unable to recall where the injury came from, shrugging it off and buttoning the front of the coat. 

Slowly she stands, her head pounding for no apparent reason, causing her to groan tiredly. She leans on the arm of the couch to stabilize herself for a moment, carefully regaining her balance and slowly making her way over to Bertrum with a calm, relieved smile. 

Bertrum tenses as he feels small yet muscular arms wrap around his shoulders. He tilts his head up, going silent as he slowly turns his gaze towards her, tears filling his eyes. Slowly, he turns himself completely towards her, and then quickly allows himself to basically fall into her arms, knowing by now that she can support his weight just fine. She stumbles a little from her slight weakness of just waking up, but is able to hold him. He quietly sobs, holding her close to him, afraid she’ll disappear again if he lets her go. She gently presses her fingers through his sweaty, gelled locks of dark hair, resting her chin on his shoulder.

“W-What’s wrong, Bertie?” Lacie asks, her voice slightly hoarse. 

Bertrum sniffles. “N-Nothing, Lace... n-not anymore... th-the only thing amiss now is that Mr. Drew still needs to pay for his crimes...” he tightens his hands into fists, gripping the coat. “I-I’ll kill him if I have to... n-nobody hurts my darling Lacie Benton, not without paying a high price...” 

Lacie pauses, looking at him. “W... W-What do you mean? W-What happened with Mr. Drew?”

Bertrum tenses, pulling away just enough to meet her eyes. “H-He... h-he... h-he killed you... h-he almost got me too, he was going to do some weird sacrifice shit to me, but... y-you s-saved m-me...” More tears stream gently down his face, his body shaking. “I-I stole his spellbook to bring you back... I-I know I won’t be able to forgive myself for letting him kill you until I know he’s been punished for his actions...” 

Lacie pauses again, tears slowly streaming down her face as she hugs him again. “B-Bertie... h-he doesn’t deserve death...” she grits her teeth. “D-Death would be a mercy...” She clings to him. “I-I know what we can do... th-the perfect revenge.” She softly smiles. “H-He’ll suffer because we’ll destroy the one thing he cares for more than anything else, and we’ll make sure everyone else is happy without him...” She takes Bertrum’s hand, squeezing it. 

Bertrum pauses then slowly smiles up at her, sniffling. “G-God, I love you, Ms. Benton...” he cups her cheek and pulls her into a kiss, which she happily accepts.

-.- 

Within a week the entire Special Projects department had quit Joey Drew Studios, including Bertrum and Lacie. Within another week, Heavenly Toys and Accounting both resigned. Next was the music department, then maintenance, then finally animation, even including Henry Stein himself. Joey had to file for bankruptcy and close down the studio, practically losing everything he ever had, including his home.

Joey Drew had to move very far away, back to his childhood home, which was practically left in shambles. Meanwhile, everyone else had been saved thanks to Bertrum and Lacie destroying Joey’s precious spell book. 

Henry owned the rights to the characters of Bendy, and was able to get enough investors aswell as the support from everyone who’d once worked at the old studio to be able to open his own studio. One that was brand new, with more windows and a more jovial atmosphere. All the old workers accepted jobs at Henry Stein Studios, jobs that came with much better pay and even some better positions for a few people, such as Buddy Lewek, who became the head of the animation department. 

Bertrum and Lacie were hired on as co-directors of the new Special Projects department. Sadly, Bendyland had to be postponed, but Henry was able to reassure them that the dream would become a reality within a few years. Bertrum proposed to Lacie six months after they joined Henry Stein Studios, and the two married four months after that. The workers all attended, Grant as Bertrum’s best man while Allison was Lacie’s maid of honor. Sammy was their priest, and officially pronounced the two as married. 

They enjoyed a happy life at the studio with their work family, all while Joey was left to rot in the Hell he’d dug for himself.


	8. The Toymaker’s Wingman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the end of every day, Shawn Flynn finds himself buried in a pile of his own toys as he vents to his friend Grant Cohen about how cute Wally Franks is. That is, until Wally overhears one day.

Grant Cohen was not a therapist. Far from one in fact. However, it sure as hell was starting to feel like he was becoming one. 

Every single day, on his way out the door at the end of his long working hours, he’d find Shawn Flynn, the head of Heavenly Toys, buried in a large pile of recalled plushies in the corner of his office. He’d give Grant those eyes, those damn puppy eyes, and Grant would just sigh tiredly, coming into the office and sitting beside his Irish friend. 

“What now, Shawn?” Grant sighed, yawning. 

“Did you HEAR him singin’?!” Shawn’s face lit up with a bright pink blush. “He was singin’ as he made his way past my office today! Ohhh it was so beautiful!” Shawn swoons.

Shawn had a crush on the janitor of the studio, Wally Franks. He had fallen for the Brooklyn man and fell HARD. Grant was just the unfortunate friend to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when Shawn was particularly panicked about his big heart and butterflies. So now the tired accountant was the love struck toy makers go-to for sharing everything, EVERYTHING that he loved about the goofy janitor. There was something new to add onto the list every day, there’d only been a couple times that Shawn would repeat the same aspect twice. It was honestly rather impressive.

Despite this, Grant was tired. He was tired of listening to it. Tired of constantly asking Shawn, “Why don’t you just confess to him?” and only getting a girly squeal coupled with a Whitney “But I don’ deserve hiiiiim” as a response. Tired of having to stay for hours after work while Shawn pinpointed the one thing about Wally for the day that he loved the most and talked purely about that. Tired of all the squeaking caused by Shawn shifting around in his plushie pile. It. Was. Enough.

So, today was the day. The day Grant would finally just solve the issue for himself. During his lunch break, he approaches Wally.

“Hey, Mr. Flynn would like to see you in his office after work... I don’t know what he really wants, but you should go see him...” Grant takes a long sip of his 3rd coffee for the day.

Wally thinks, then nods. “Oh, okay, thanks Mistah Cohen!” He smiles, innocently oblivious.

-.-

The work day wound down to a close, and Shawn has already buried himself in the plushies per usual, hugging a crooked Bendy close to his heart. He heard footsteps make their way into his office, and smiled. He couldn’t see who it was due to the plushies, but assumed it was just Grant.

“Grant, thank god you’re here! I’ve gotta tell yah about Wally! Oh, my, god!!!! I can’t believe I’ve NEVER noticed his little nose before! He’s got the cutest little button nose, oh what I would GIVE to just give him little kisses all over it for every adorable little freckle dotting it~!” He blushes a light pink, squealing like a teenage girl.

“Uh.... M... M-Mistah Flynn?”

Shawn tenses, knowing that there was NO WAY that was his accountant friend. He goes quiet, immediately fearing the worse, and slowly poking his head out of the plushies to see who was in his office. He gasped, his eyes going wide as his face bloomed a deep rosy red. He gulped as he looked at his younger, confused, and fluster crush standing in front of him.

Wally was poking his nose, looking down in confusion as if he could actually see his nose. His face was just about as flushed as Shawn’s as he slowly met the Irishman’s gaze. Shawn almost immediately ducked back into the toy pile, squeaking shyly. 

That’s when he heard the laugh. Wally’s innocent, childlike giggles of pure joy. The laugh that sent Shawn’s heart into another orbit every time he heard it. 

“M-Mistah Fly... Sh-Shawn...” he’s laughing so hard he’s crying. “Yah... yah really think that?”

Shawn shyly peeks his eyes out from the plushies. “Uh... y-yeah?”

Wally smirks mischievously, sitting down in front of Shawn and his little pile, picking up a Boris with a twisted nose that’d fallen off and absentmindedly playing with it.

“Is that... is that all yah like about me~? Just my nose~?” Wally giggles more.

Shawn rises out of the toys a little more, his nose now visible. 

“N-No? I-I mean- o-of course not!” Shawn squeaks.

Wally smiles up at him. “Soooo.... yah wanna tell me what those other things are, yah big charmer~”

Shawn’s face goes redder, somehow, and he looks away shyly. 

“I... c-could write a book...” Shawn laughs. “Th-Theres so much...” 

And yet, once he starts thinking about it, he’s able to start listing it all off. His smile, his laugh, his eyes, his optimism... his ass.

Wally bursts into cheerful giggles at that one, making Shawn laugh aswell.

He continues on for a full hour just listing things off, growing more flustered by the minute, until finally Wally stops him with a gentle shush. He gently takes Shawn’s stubbly chin into his calloused working fingers.

“Yah know what yah outta add tah that list o’ yours, Shawwwn~?” 

The Irishman practically melted when he said his name. “W... W-What~?”

Slowly, the smaller janitor closed his eyes and pursed his lips, closing the little gap between them. The toymaker’s eyes went wide and practically smashed his own lips even further against Wally’s. He squints his eyes shut as it feels as if stars are sparkling around them. Everything disappears but them, and Shawn never wants it to end. But, they’re both human, so Wally pulls away, his eyes opening half way, glossy and full of love. Shawn pants a little, looking at Wally with a wide smile. 

“Add the fact that I love you too, and I could write just as long of a book about all your perfections~” Wally smiles happily.

Shawn pauses, only for a moment, before bursting from his toy pile to tackle Wally down in a hug, much to the other man’s delight. He kisses Wally’s face all over, getting every freckle and inch, his stubble tickling the janitor and making him giggle. 

-.-

Grant decides it’s hopefully time to leave and starts his usual route out of the studio. He takes a glance into Shawn’s office and sighs in relief, smiling. 

Shawn was laying on Wally’s chest as the smaller plays with his hair. Both of their hats sit off to the side and there are plushies scattered everywhere. The Irishman looks up at the accountant in the doorway, smiling wide. 

Grant smiles. “I’m guessing the meeting went well, Mr. Franks?”

Wally smiles. “Very well, Mistah Cohen~”

Grant nods. “Thanks for filling in for me, sorry I couldn’t make it today, Shawn...” he winks.

Shawn blushes deeply. “GRANT COHEN YOU SLY MOTHERFU-“

Grant walks away before he’s able to finish, and heads home for some much needed and well deserved sleep.


	9. Susie’s Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After getting out of the studio, Susie is left without a home so Sammy takes her in. That’s when she slowly begins having frequent nightmares. One of which causes some surprising information to slip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning:  
> Trauma  
> Nightmares  
> Imagined Death

Susie Campbell has been living with Sammy Lawrence for a few months now. They’d been freed from the studio by Henry Stein but the awful memories of Joey’s torment along with the terrible things they did themselves still linger in their minds. 

The two have both struggled with forgiving themselves, even if they’ve already been forgiven by their fellow workers. Sammy feels tortured by the littlest occurrences throughout the day, little reminders and triggers that cause him to frequently have flashbacks to all the times he’d verbally abused other workers, sacrificed them, tried to kill Henry, was beaten by the Ink Demon, and finally met a temporary end by Tom. He felt horrible for traumatizing those such as Buddy Lewek, who was only a kid and never deserved anything the music director did to him or caused him to witness. He felt horrible for everything and couldn’t forgive himself.

Susies reaction to the memories was more erratic than Sammy’s however. Not only did she have her daily triggers, but she also had frequent nightmares that would keep her awake almost every night to an unhealthy degree. She’d dream of Joey and his manipulation of her, the moment she’d locked eyes with Sammy the day he’d told her she’d be replaced, the feeling of betrayal, the deal with Joey, her transformation, her torture of so many toons and people alike, and finally her awful temporary end by Allison. She knew she traumatized Buddy aswell, the young golfer refused to be left alone in the same room as either Sammy or Susie for a very long time. Even then, the sweet Jewish boy still forgave them. He was just facing traumas like everyone else.

It’s no wonder that every night when Susie has a nightmare, she wakes up crying, sometimes screaming, waking up Sammy in the process. He doesn’t mind it too much, he’s always struggled with even going to sleep so half the time he’s still awake by the time he hears her.

Every nightly interaction usually ends up the same. Susie will wake up, Sammy will come in and comfort her, assure her it wasn’t real or that it was all in the past, Susie would apologize for waking him, he’d just shrug it off, and the two would stay close together until either Susie was able to fall back asleep or it was 6am and time for them to get ready for work.

This night, however, went by a little differently.

Sammy had had a rough day at his work. He and Jack had founded a music school together and were teaching children about instruments throughout the day. Today, however, one of the older kids had approached Sammy with rumors he’d heard about the old studio. The kid outright accused Sammy of being a cultist, to which Sammy didn’t react too professionally. Jack ended up having to close the school early and help Sammy get home before he could slip into a panic attack, which he did as soon as he stumbled into the door. Now he was exhausted, but still couldn’t find the effort to try and go to sleep, just laying pathetically in his bed. 

At 11:34pm, he heard it.

“SAMMY NO!” Screamed out an all to familiar feminine voice from across the house, her lovely soprano cracking in her throat from the pure terror in her voice.

The musician quickly sat up and made his way towards his friend’s bedroom. He gently eased himself inside and looked down at the scene before him. 

Poor Susie Campbell was screaming into a pillow, begging and pleading to an unknown entity, begging about... him? Sammy Lawrence? Sammy was a little confused, but he followed usual protocol. He gently set himself down as not to startle her, then slowly brought her into his arms. He stroked her short, blonde locks and started humming a tune to try and soothe her. She grew quiet down to just sniffles and whimpers as he started to sway with her in tempo to his song. She recognized it, and surprisingly, started to hum along.

Sammy faltered in shock, but continued on. Susie hadn’t sang since she’d been freed, not openly at least. Her beautiful tone sounded so scratchy and weak from her previous screaming, it made Sammy’s heart ache in ways he didn’t even realize he could ache for her. He looked down at her. Even in this state she was beautiful. An angel in Sammy’s eyes even if she was a demon in her own.

Eventually Susie began to calm, so Sammy began asking questions. He would always ask her these questions to make sure she fully returned to the real world, it’d help to ease her mind and let her know that the nightmare wasn’t real.

“Who am I?” Sammy asked her, his voice low and quiet.

She sniffled. “S... S-Sammy Lawrence... y-you work at a music school with Jack Fain... I... I-I love you with all my heart...” She tenses, realizing what she just said, clearly indicating she hadn’t meant to ever let that thought slip out.

Sammy blushes lightly, in slight surprise. He pauses, then holds her closer, continuing along.

“Who are you?”

Susie pauses, sniffling again. “S-Susie Campbell... I-I work at Piedmont & Benton Entertainment as a voice actress for the dark rides they manufacture... a-and I... l-love Sammy Lawrence... a-and I’m sorry for always bothering him... I-I don’t deserve someone as lovely as he is...” She slowly moves the pillow to the side so she can hesitantly lean into him more.

Sammy obliges, holding her closer, his face growing a light pink. 

“Susie... you don’t bother me... I...” he blushes deeper. “Love you too...” he softly kisses her on the head.

Susie tenses up in surprise, slowly looking up at him. “Y-You do?” Tears well up in her eyes.

The musician nods in response, softly cupping her cheek and giving her a simple kiss on the lips. He pulls away after a moment and adjusts their position, laying the two of them down on the bed and draping the covers over them. Susie’s face is snuggled into his chest as she softly cries tears of joy. Sammy keeps hold of her, playing with her hair again. 

They stay that way for the rest of the night, neither of them bothered by the lack of sleep by now. However, every night after, Susie no longer has nightmares. Sammy takes a place in her bed, which she doesn’t mind at all, and he holds her until she falls asleep, then stays with her every night. No nightmares, no pain, no worry. Only bliss between the voice actress and the music teacher.


End file.
